Buffalo Sabres Announce Traverse City Tournament Roster
Oct 23, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman
Nikita Zadorov(61) celebrates his fist NHL goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Just days before prospects head to Traverse City for the annual tournament, the Buffalo Sabres released their roster for which players they’ll be sending to Michigan this coming weekend.
The roster for the Buffalo Sabres includes four first-round picks and six second-round picks. This makes the Sabres the only team out of the eight participating in the tournament to have that many highly-drafted players on its roster. First-round picks from 2011, 2012 and 2014 will all be rocking the blue and gold in Michigan in the coming days.
Five of the nine players selected by the Sabres in the 2014 NHL Draft will represent the team at Traverse City. In addition, several players with AHL or NHL experience will also be joining the group at the prospects tournament, including Nikita Zadorov, Rasmus Ristolainen and Jake McCabe, who will create a strong defense corps for the team.
Here’s a full roster breakdown for the Buffalo Sabres at the upcoming 2014 Traverse City Prospects Tournament, which begins September 12 and runs through September 16.
Apr 4, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing
Johan Franzen(93) and Buffalo Sabres defenseman
Jake McCabe(29) battle for the puck in the first period at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
WITH NHL EXPERIENCE
The Sabres will have three players on their Traverse City roster with NHL experience – and all defensemen. A loaded blueline corps should be great support for some of the younger forwards in the group. Jake McCabe, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov will all be on the roster for the prospects tournament in the coming days.
McCabe spent most of last season with the University of Wisconsin, where he had 25 points and 53 penalty minutes. But he also saw his first NHL action, appearing in seven games with the Sabres, and he’ll join Buffalo for his first full NHL season beginning next month.
Ristolainen split last season between the Sabres and the Amerks, playing 34 games at each level. With the Sabres, he had four points and six penalty minutes; with the Amerks, 20 points and 22 penalty minutes.
Zadorov played seven games with the Sabres, notching one point and four penalty minutes. He then spent the rest of the season with the OHL’s London Knights, where he racked up 30 points (11-19) and 43 penalty minutes in 36 games.
(Photo: Melissa Kania)
WITH AHL EXPERIENCE
The Sabres will also send four players with AHL experience to the Traverse City tournament, including two players who also spent time in the ECHL last season.
First up, 2011 1st-rounder Joel Armia. The right-winger had 27 points and 30 penalty minutes in 54 games last season with the Amerks in his first season in North America. He’ll be joined by teammate Dan Catenacci, who had 20 points (10-10) and 32 penalty minutes in 76 games with Rochester last season.
Joining the two will be center Colin Jacobs. The 21-year-old spent most of last season in Rochester, notching two points and 29 penalty minutes in 24 games with the Amerks. He also saw some action in the ECHL, notching five points and 31 penalty minutes in 20 games with the Elmira Jackals.
Also coming from experience with the Amerks will be goaltender Andrey Makarov. Makarov spent most of last season in the ECHL, racking up a 15-11-4 record and 2.79 GAA with the Fort Wayne Komets. But when injuries and call-ups hit, he moved up to the Amerks and stepped up, winning seven of 10 games played and recording a 2.20 GAA and .927 save percentage.
(Photo: Melissa Kania)
FROM THE ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Eight players on the Traverse City roster spent last season in the Ontario Hockey League. Of those, six were drafted by the Sabres between 2012 and 2014, with the other two being invited to the camp as free agents.
From the 2012 NHL draft are center Justin Kea and defenseman Brady Austin. Kea, 20, spent last season with the Saginaw Spirit, where he had 49 points (22-27) and 97 penalty minutes in 58 games. He also saw one game of action with the Rochester Americans. Austin, 21, began last season with the Belleville Bulls (5 pts in 7 games) before he was traded to the London Knights. He spent the rest of the year in London playing with fellow Sabres prospect Zadorov. Austin had 28 points (8-20) and was a plus-49 in 60 games.
Coming out of the 2013 draft are right wingers Justin Bailey and Nicholas Baptiste. Bailey, 19, had 43 points (25-18) in 54 games with Kitchener last season. Baptiste, also 19, spent last season with the Sudbury Wolves, where he scored 45 goals and added 44 assists for 89 points in just 65 games.
Two players the Sabres drafted this June from the OHL will also be at Traverse City: Eric Cornel and Brendan Lemieux. Cornel, a center, spent last season with the Peterborough Petes. He had 25 goals and 37 assists for 62 points in 68 games. The Sabres picked him 44th overall.
Lemieux (LW) had 53 points (27-26) and 145 penalty minutes in 65 games with Barrie last season. The Sabres picked him up with the first pick in the second round of the NHL Draft.
Finally, a pair of invitees: Jared Walsh and Joseph Blandisi. Walsh is an 18-year-old defenseman who spent last season with Mississauga. The Toronto native had 21 points and 14 penalty minutes in 66 games with the Steelheads. He also appeared in six games with St. Michael’s of the OJHL.
Blandisi, 20, split last season between Ottawa and Barrie. The Vaughan native had 37 points in as many games with the 67s and also had 13 points in 10 games with the Colts.
Oct 4, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; A general view of the pre-game light show for the game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
FROM THE QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Five players representing the Sabres at Traverse City spent last season in the QMJHL, including three forwards, one defenseman and a goaltender..
Start off with netminder Francois Brassard, who put up a record of 28-12-9 and a GAA of 2.95 with the Quebec Remparts. The 20-year-old Gatineau native is a camp invitee.
Then there’s William Carrier, acquired by the Sabres via trade. The 19-year-old LaSalle native split last season between Cape Breton and Drummondville. The left winger had 41 points in 39 games with the Screaming Eagles and 24 points in 27 games with the Voyageurs.
One 2014 draft pick of the Sabres who will be attending Traverse City is right winger Vaclav Karabacek. He’s coming out of a season with Gatineau, where he put up 21 goals and 26 assists in 65 games. The Brandys Nad Labem, Czech Republic native was picked up with the 49th overall selection in 2014.
Finally, two invitees from the QMJHL: left winger Michael Joly and defenseman Ryan MacKinnon, both of whom spent last season with the Rimouski Oceanic.
Joly, 19, is a left winger who had 44 goals and 30 assists for 74 points in 64 games. MacKinnon, who just turned 20 on Sept. 4, had 22 points and 28 penalty minutes in 66 games with the Oceanic.
Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sam Reinhart puts on a team cap after being selected as the number two overall pick to the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
FROM THE WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE …. and COLLEGE
Three players who will be representing the Sabres at the prospects tournament spent last season in the WHL, including two of the team’s 2014 draft picks.
Possibly one of the most highly-noted players is, of course, center Sam Reinhart. The second-overall pick in the NHL draft, Reinhart spent last season with Kootenay. He had 36 goals and 69 assists for 105 points in 60 games with the Ice. He also managed to accrue just 11 penalty minutes throughout the season.
Next, there’s defenseman Brycen Martin, who spent last season with the Swift Current Broncos. Martin, 18, had 37 points (6-31) and 42 penalty minutes in 72 games.
Finally, a camp invitee from the WHL: right winger Jack Rodewald. The 20-year-old Winnipeg native spent last season with Moose Jaw, where he put up 28 goals and 27 assists for 55 points in 58 games.
Last, but not least, on the Traverse City roster is left winger Jordan Samuels-Thomas. The 24-year-old Hartford native spent last season with Quinnipiac, where he had 29 points (13-16) and 46 penalty minutes in 34 games. The Sabres acquired Samuels-Thomas via trade from the Jets earlier this year.
For the full schedule and more information about the Traverse City Prospects Tournament, check out our fan guide here.